The reoperation rate after single-level ACDFs

Introduction : The plate fixation for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has become increasingly widespread for facilitating early mobilization and improving fusion rate. However, apart from multilevel operations, there is still some controversy over its use for single-level ACDF. This retrospective study has compared the reoperation rates after single-level ACDFs performed at our institution between the procedures with and without plate fixation. Methods : This retrospective study included a total of 131 patients with ≥ 1-year of follow-up after a single-level ACDF, consisting of 100 patients without plating (conventional ACDF) and 31 patients with plate fixation (plated ACDF). Results : Eleven patients (8.4% of all patients) : four conventional ACDFs (4% of the conventional ACDFs) and seven plated ACDFs (22.6% of the plated ACDFs), had reoperation surgeries. The incidence of reoperation was significantly higher in the plated ACDFs than in the conventional ACDFs (P = 0.0037). The log-rank test revealed a significant difference (P = 0.00003) in 5-year reoperation-free survival rates between the conventional (96.9%) and the plated groups (68.3%). Conclusion : Anterior cervical plating may have a negative impact on the adjacent segment integrity, resulting in an increased reoperation rate after a single-level ACDF at relatively shorter postoperative time points

Complications Associated With Spine Surgery in Patients Aged 80 Years or Older: Japan Association of Spine Surgeons with Ambition (JASA) Multicenter Study

Study Design:Retrospective study of registry data.Objectives:Aging of society and recent advances in surgical techniques and general anesthesia have increased the demand for spinal surgery in elderly patients. Many complications have been described in elderly patients, but a multicenter study of perioperative complications in spinal surgery in patients aged 80 years or older has not been reported. Therefore, the goal of the study was to analyze complications associated with spine surgery in patients aged 80 years or older with cervical, thoracic, or lumbar lesions.Methods:A multicenter study was performed in patients aged 80 years or older who underwent 262 spinal surgeries at 35 facilities. The frequency and severity of complications were examined for perioperative complications, including intraoperative and postoperative complications, and for major postoperative complications that were potentially life threatening, required reoperation in the perioperative period, or left a permanent injury.Results:Perioperative complications occurred in 75 of the 262 surgeries (29%) and 33 were major complications (13%). In multivariate logistic regression, age over 85 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.007, P = 0.025) and estimated blood loss ≥500 g (HR = 3.076, P = .004) were significantly associated with perioperative complications, and an operative time ≥180 min (HR = 2.78, P = .007) was significantly associated with major complications.Conclusions:Elderly patients aged 80 years or older with comorbidities are at higher risk for complications. Increased surgical invasion, and particularly a long operative time, can cause serious complications that may be life threatening. Therefore, careful decisions are required with regard to the surgical indication and procedure in elderly patients

Risk Factors for Delirium After Spine Surgery in Extremely Elderly Patients Aged 80 Years or Older and Review of the Literature: Japan Association of Spine Surgeons with Ambition Multicenter Study

Study Design:Retrospective database analysis.Objective:Spine surgeries in elderly patients have increased in recent years due to aging of society and recent advances in surgical techniques, and postoperative complications have become more of a concern. Postoperative delirium is a common complication in elderly patients that impairs recovery and increases morbidity and mortality. The objective of the study was to analyze postoperative delirium associated with spine surgery in patients aged 80 years or older with cervical, thoracic, and lumbar lesions.Methods:A retrospective multicenter study was performed in 262 patients 80 years of age or older who underwent spine surgeries at 35 facilities. Postoperative complications, incidence of postoperative delirium, and hazard ratios of patient-specific and surgical risk factors were examined.Results:Postoperative complications occurred in 59 of the 262 spine surgeries (23%). Postoperative delirium was the most frequent complication, occurring in 15 of 262 patients (5.7%), and was significantly associated with hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, cervical lesion surgery, and greater estimated blood loss (P < .05). In multivariate logistic regression using perioperative factors, cervical lesion surgery (odds ratio = 4.27, P < .05) and estimated blood loss ≥300 mL (odds ratio = 4.52, P < .05) were significantly associated with postoperative delirium.Conclusions:Cervical lesion surgery and greater blood loss were perioperative risk factors for delirium in extremely elderly patients after spine surgery. Hypertension and cerebrovascular disease were significant risk factors for postoperative delirium, and careful management is required for patients with such risk factors

Nontraumatic Spondylolisthesis of the Axis with Cervical Kyphosis

This study aimed at presenting a rare nontraumatic spondylolisthesis of the axis and considering its possible cause. Traumatic spondylolisthesis of the axis, called hangman’s fracture, frequently occurs as a high-energy trauma. However, nontraumatic spondylolisthesis of the axis is quite rare, and relevant literature on this condition is scarce. We reported a case of a 49-year-old man who had spondylolisthesis of the axis without experiencing a traumatic episode. Plain radiograph and CT image showed 7.0 mm anterolisthesis of the axis. Both C2 and C3 facet joints positioned asymmetrically, and the unilateral side oriented coronally, which was less resistant to rotational motion. These facet joint abnormalities could cause segmental instability and spondylolisthesis of the axis. Due to the resultant myelopathy, the slip with cord compression was surgically corrected by posterior decompression with instrumented fusion

A Delayed Postoperative C5 Palsy due to Spinal Cord Lesion: A Typical Clinical Presentation but Unusual Imaging Findings

Postoperative C5 palsy (C5 palsy) is a troublesome complication after cervical spine surgery and its etiology is still unclear. We experienced a case of C5 palsy after anterior decompression with fusion for cervical ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament with the typical clinical presentation of left deltoid and bicep weakness and left-arm pain without deterioration of myelopathy symptoms, albeit with the unusual imaging findings not shown preoperatively of a swelling in the spinal cord, and intramedullary high intensity change on T2-weighed MRI. The additional posterior surgery was carried out to decompress the swollen spinal cord. The abnormal findings disappear on MRI taken three weeks following the second surgery and the weakness improved fully within three months after the second surgery. This case report highlights the possibility of spinal cord lesion due to circulatory impairment as a cause of C5 palsy

A comparison of reoperation rates after single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) between the procedures with and without anterior plate fixation

Introduction : The plate fixation for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has become increasingly widespread for facilitating early mobilization and improving fusion rate. However, apart from multilevel operations, there is still some controversy over its use for single-level ACDF. This retrospective study has compared the reoperation rates after single-level ACDFs performed at our institution between the procedures with and without plate fixation. Methods : This retrospective study included a total of 131 patients with ≥ 1-year of follow-up after a single-level ACDF, consisting of 100 patients without plating (conventional ACDF) and 31 patients with plate fixation (plated ACDF). Results : Eleven patients (8.4% of all patients) : four conventional ACDFs (4% of the conventional ACDFs) and seven plated ACDFs (22.6% of the plated ACDFs), had reoperation surgeries. The incidence of reoperation was significantly higher in the plated ACDFs than in the conventional ACDFs (P = 0.0037). The log-rank test revealed a significant difference (P = 0.00003) in 5-year reoperation-free survival rates between the conventional (96.9%) and the plated groups (68.3%). Conclusion : Anterior cervical plating may have a negative impact on the adjacent segment integrity, resulting in an increased reoperation rate after a single-level ACDF at relatively shorter postoperative time points

Risk factors of cervical surgery related complications in patients older than 80 years

Introduction: With an aging population, the proportion of patients aged 80 years requiring cervical surgery is increasing. Surgeons are concerned with the high incidence of complications in this population, because “age” itself has been reported as a strong risk factor for complications. However, it is still unknown which factors represent higher risk among these elderly patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the risk factors related to surgical complications specific to elderly patients by analyzing the registry data of patients aged 80 years who underwent cervical surgery. Methods: We retrospectively studied multicenter collected registry data using multivariate analysis. Sixty-six patients aged 80 years who underwent cervical surgery and were followed up for more than one year were included in this study. Preoperative patient demographic data, including comorbidities and postoperative complications, were collected from multicenter registry data. Complications were considered as major if they required invasive intervention, caused prolonged morbidity, or resulted in prolongation of hospital stay. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the risk factors for complications. A p-value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The total number of patients with complications was 21 (31.8%), with seven major (10.6%) and 14 minor (21.2%) complications. Multivariate logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for age, revealed two significant risk factors: preoperative cerebrovascular disorders (OR, 6.337; p=0.043) for overall complications and cancer history (OR, 8.168; p=0.021) for major complications. Age, presence of diabetes mellitus, and diagnosis were not significant predictive factors for complications in this study. Conclusions: Preoperative cerebrovascular disorders and cancer history were risk factors for complications after cervical surgery in patients over 80 years old. Surgeons should pay attention to these specific risk factors before performing cervical surgery in elderly patients